How a Holistic Diet Can Help Your Immune System

It's no secret that a lot of the diets that are currently popular all have weight loss as their primary goal. The advantages of eating a holistic diet that is focused on diversity rather than restriction are, however, becoming more and more obvious as research on the effects of food on our mental and physical health grows.

If losing weight is your aim, changing to a more holistic, balanced diet can help, but there are many other ways that good nutrition benefits your entire health as well. Choosing whole, organic foods over processed, sugary ones can help you acquire the proper ratio of protein, fibre, vitamins, and other essential micro-and macronutrients. One of the major advantages of a holistic diet is that it frequently strengthens the immune system, making you better able to fend off illnesses and infections.

Here are some of the foods holistic nutrition promotes, and how they work individually to support a healthier, more effective immune system.

LEAFY GREENS

We are instructed to eat our greens for a reason, even though they were probably not your favourite as a child. All of these vegetables—spinach, kale, cabbage, and broccoli—are nutrient-dense and immune-supportive.

Due to the presence of folate in spinach, which aids in DNA repair and cell division in your body, spinach is extremely potent. Additionally, it has a tonne of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and other antioxidants. These two elements may improve our immune systems' capacity to fight infections.

Read More: Easy Tips to Design a Diet Chart for Healthy Weight Loss

CITRUS FRUITS

Citrus fruits are a mainstay of summer and are zingy and full of vitamin C, which helps the body produce more white blood cells to fight infection. Stock up on citrus fruits like grapefruit, oranges, clementines, and tangerines since they can help your immune system.

If you want to up your vitamin C intake, pick up some red or yellow bell peppers if you want to because they contain twice as much of the vitamin as a medium orange! Which takes us to our upcoming meal.

Brightly coloured vegetables

At Gillian McKeith, we can’t get enough of our rainbow foods, and some of our cooking staples include carrots, bell peppers, and sweet potatoes. Not only are they delicious, they again contain plenty of beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A to help bolster the immune system.

These vegetables are also really versatile for cooking. Throw them in a stir fry, stir them into a pasta sauce, or have them as a tasty side to your main dish.

Nuts, seeds, and spices

An energy-boosting snack, a tasty addition to your meal or sprinkled over a smoothie, nuts and seeds are well-known for their health benefits and are used a lot in holistic cooking.

Brazil nuts contain selenium, which supports the immune system by increasing white blood cells that destroy viruses. Sunflower seeds also contain vitamin E, an effective antioxidant that enhances the body’s production of immune cells.

Increasing your intake of certain spices can also help you to fight off illness. Thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, ginger can be effective in protecting your body’s ability to fight infection. Meanwhile, turmeric is thought to combat disease due to the anti-inflammatory agent curcumin, which is found in the spice.